There were big surprises, stunning performances, remarkable recoveries, and more French success.
It is fair to say that the fourth International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup of the season was not short of drama.
Tacen, Slovenia hosted a memorable World Cup that kept fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Here are five things we learned from the thrilling three-day competition:
Click here for startlists and live results from Tacen
Two medals and a broken boat
It was a weekend that Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods won’t be forgetting in a hurry. Not only did she pick up two medals but also leaves with a broken boat to show for her efforts. Woods finally ended her search for a title in kayak with victory in Tacen. Despite winning Olympic bronze in K1 last year, Woods had not won a medal in the event on the World Cup circuit since 2017 and had never emerged victorious. Boosted by that triumph, Woods went on to win another medal in canoe – a bronze that came in extraordinary fashion. After flying down the iconic Tacen drop at the start, Woods smashed into the wall before reaching the first gate. Her boat was damaged in the collision but somehow Woods maintained her great pace and overcame a two-second penalty to win bronze. She admitted that her boat was “very broken” and was now faced with the challenge of getting it fixed in time for the World Cup Final in Augsburg.
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Castryck and Gestin are winning machines
Much of the focus heading into Tacen was on the rivalry between Anatole Delassus and Tituoan Castryck. The French duo have been going head-to-head for the men’s K1 title and were separated by just one point before the fourth World Cup. But in the end it was Castryck who ruled the roust. While Delassus failed to make the K1 final for the first time this season, Castryck capitalised by winning his third World Cup in four. He now holds a 37-point lead over Delassus with one World Cup remaining. While Castryck dominates in K1, Gestin is looking in cruise control in C1. French teammate Yohann Senechault continues to lead the overall standings but Gestin is chasing hard after back-to-back victories. The Olympic champion followed up his triumph in Prague with an impressive win in Tacen and will now be setting his sights on a third gold in succession in Augsburg.
Battle to become canoe queen blown open
Paddlers woke up last Thursday to the news that Jessica Fox will miss the remaining two World Cups of the season. Fox revealed on social media that she had undergone a successful operation to remove a tumour from her kidney and would be unable to compete in Tacen and Augsburg. Fox has captured the World Cup Series crown in C1 seven times in her great career and won the opening two legs of this season. Without Fox in the field, the overall title race has been blown wide open. Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova came out on top in Prague, but she failed to make the final in Tacen, while Spain’s Miren Lazkano missed the chance to pull clear at the top after ranking 18th in the heats. Germany’s Elena Lilik, who was ruled out of the World Cups in La Seu and Pau because of surgery, took the title in Tacen, while Ukraine’s Viktoriia Us and Wood moved into the top six courtesy of medals but the race for glory will go down to the World Cup Final in Augsburg.
Historic medal and big shocks in kayak cross thriller
As expected, Tacen delivered a kayak cross competition to remember. Whether it was the first downstream gate where paddlers battled against the current and each other, the two upstream gates or the rock located shortly after the roll zone, the course provided the ultimate challenge in kayak cross racing. There was a surprise in almost race as many of the biggest names in the sport came unstuck, while paddles were also broken in huge collisions. Amongst the carnage, Japan’s Momoka Nagasu quietly sailed through the rounds. The world number 117, who was competing in only her second World Cup, stunned the field to reach the final before claiming silver – Japan’s first-ever medal in kayak cross. There were also surprise medals for Slovenia’s world number 96 Jan Locnikar and Canada’s Alex Baldoni as Germany’s Andrea Herzog and France’s Mathurin Madore clinched the kayak cross titles.
Pacesetter Prigent on course for glory
Looks can often be deceiving. Camille Prigent might be slight in build, but she packs a punch when she gets in a kayak cross boat. Prigent has been in electric form in the event. The Frenchwoman flew down the course to win another gold in the kayak cross individual time-trials, strengthening her position at the top of the overall standings. This season, Prigent has finished in the top two in all four World Cups in the season, winning two golds and two silvers. She has now established a 52-point advantage at the summit. With one World Cup to go, Prigent could also get her hands on the series crown for head-to-head kayak cross. A semi-final placing has seen Prigent move level on points with Czechia’s Tereza Kneblova who got knocked out in the heats in Tacen.
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